Railway-track crossing



May 14, 1929. w SVADLER 1,713,008

RAILWAY TRACK CROSSING 2 Sheets -Sheet 1 Filed June 4, 1928 IN VEN TOR.

mg; L S M W W UTHER v ADLER i g p A TTORNEYS.

May 14, 1929. SADLER 1,713,008

RAILWAY TRACK CRSSING Filed "June 4, 1928 2 Shgets-$heet 2 INVENTOR. 2 LUTHER SADLER ATTO NEYS.

Patented May 14, 1929.

U'ITED STATES PATENT OFFMIE.

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a ncanmi filed. June 4, 1928. Serial no. 282,600.

This invention relates to track crossings for rz'iilroads generally but particularly for street railways and the objects of the invention are to provide improvements in a. track crossing construction which willioverconie the PUllliClll'lg of the car track wheels on the gaps provided in the crossing rails to permit the wheel flanges to roll tbrougl'i. Also such a construction which nnty quickly be converted to the common crossiiig it tor any reason it should be desired.

briefly described my improvements coinprise providing a plurality of special turntables or plugs in the intersecting rails all geared or linked together so that they may be revolved to bridge the crossing gaps in the treads of the rails, optionally in either direction oil travel, the turntables to be end'wise reversible to convert the crossing into a coinnion gap crossing. Other TllGELtUI'GS are the particular lo'lll'l and position of the plugs, their ollset relation to the rail flange, the proximity of the openatin levers to therails whereby accessibility for inspection and repairs is obtained. Other features of advantage will appear inthe drawings and lollowing description.

in the drawings Fig". 1 is a plan view of my improved rail crossing taken at grade. l ig. E2 a plan view oil the complete structure showing the special arrangement oi? foundation. or ties beneath the crossing. Fig. 3 is a cross section of Fig. 2 taken along the line 3-3 thereof.

Fig. elis an end View of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view taken through the revolvable turntables or plugs. Fig. (5 is a cross section of the complete installation as seen from the line (i6 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a cross section otthe installation as seen from the line i'7 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged plan view of the intcrs-ictionoil' two rails showing the plug and its operating arin.

Fig. 9 is a central sectional elevation of ll ig. 8. I

Fig. 10 is a, lower end view of the plug only o'l? Fig. 9 as'seentlroin the line 10 10 thereof.

The invention may be applied to a crossing embracing any number of rails and o'l any type of mils, but is here shown applied to a pair oi connnon liange rails crossing another pair at right angles. The rails are designated 1 and at the intersection is a crossing rail unit designated 2.

This crossing unit is grooved at E3 to continue the flanges ot the rails and provided with rail head or tread portions Tl continuing the rail treads.

At the center oi each point oi. crossing oil the treads is a turntable or plug 5 revolvabl y positioned in an enlargement or housing 6 formed integral with the crossing unit and it should be observed that the plugs are centered substantially on the crossing center lines of the rail 11 aid and of a. diameter reaching just beyond the flange groove 3 ol the crossing.

One side of the upper end of each plug is stopped away as at 'i to align with and il'orin a continuation of the flange groove 3 andwill align with either groove upon revolving the plug ninety degrees.

The lower end ol iach plug rests upon a loose steel sole dish 8 (see l' ig 9) and under the dish is an annular recess 5) 'lerinedin the lower portion (3 ol the housing which forms a reservoir adapted to hold a q'antity of lubricant.

The plug as described may be freely lilt'tcd from the vertical bore of the housing and re versed therein, and when so reversed will form a common gap crossing as its lower end is stepped away at two sides at l()-'l0 at rightangles so as to continue the flange grooves 3 of the rails in. both directions.

The inner wallol the housin is own as indicated in Fig. 9 loprovide means for re volving the pi ug, an d wh icl 1. means comprises an eyebolt or arm 11 screwed into the side of the plug. This arin passes ust below a shoulder 12 on the how-dug and thus prevents the plug from being pulled upward until the arms is reujioved. Also the arcuate -1novement of the :1 1-111 'i n revolving the plug may be limited by the o iening in the housing in which it operates so that when fully over either way one or the other of the rails will have its flange groiive opened up tlt'or travel and the opposite grooves closed.

The tour plugs of one crossing are (as shown in Fig. 5) all swung inwardly or outwardly from orloward the cou'unon center of the crossing, to align the opposite runs of rails, through the medium of arocl; shaft 13 passing transversely through two of the cross ing rails and rotatably supported in bearings 14 secured to their webs.

To this rock shaft adjacent the inner webs of both rails is secured a pair of rocker arms or double ended cranks 15, to the opposite ends of which are pivotally connected reversely extending rods or links 1617 in turn pivoted at their outer ends at 18-19 to the eyebolts 11 which project from the turntables or plugs 5.

Link 17 is of goose-neck form, while link 16 is substantially straight, and both links are connected to the rocker arm 15 by universal joints 35 to care for the horizontal and vertical arcs of travel involved.

Pivotally connected with one of the rocker arms and extending horizontally along the inner side of the web of the rail is an operating link 20 pivotally connected at its outer end to a crank 21 secured to a short hollow shaft 22 extending transversely through the rail web in a bearing 23 secured thereto and at the outer end of the shaft is a crank 2-1 which may be operated by any desired means, such for instance as the pull and push rod 25 which may extend to a tower house or any convenient type of ground lever or other operating device not shown.

, The operating levers and all bearings it will be noted, lie along two rails only, and this provides for reaching all working parts through removable surface plates 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, supported on recessed edges 31 on the main crossing members and auxiliary members 32 as best shown in Fig. 3.

The foundation structure of my crossing is unique inasmuch as two of the crossing rail members are of a depth to rest on a layer of ties 33, and the two oppositely extending members are of an increased depth to rest on a second layer of ties 34 extending transversely under the upper layer, and it is along the deeper sectioned rails that the operating mechanism extends and from which it is operatively supported. I am aware that other rail crossing structures embodying revolvableplugs have been previously constructed, notably the structure shown in my joint Patent No. 1,169,196 but they do not embody the improvements above described and hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. A unitary structure of crossed railway rails, a vertically depending cylindrical housing at each rail intersection, and a circular plug revolvably positioned in said housing with its upper end flush with the rail tread, a step formed across the upper end of the plug adapted to continue the wheel flange groove of either rail when the plug is turned, said plug being endwise reversible in the housing and the opposite end of the plug formed to continue the wheel flange grooves of both crossing rails when the plug is held in fixed position withvsaid opposite end up.

2. In a track crossing structure a reversible revolvable track plug provided at one end with a formation adapted to match and continue the rail surface clnlracteristies of one track only across the plug, and the other end formed to continue the rail surface characteristics of both rails simultaneously and arranged for passage of the wheel tlanges on either track.

In a track crossing structure a reverse ible revolvable track plug provided at one end with a formation adapted to match and continue the rail surface charaeteristies of one track only across the plug, and the other end formed to continue the rail surface charae teristics of both rails simultaneously and arranged for passage of the wheel llanges on either track and a vertically disposed circular housing at the intersecting points of the crossing tracks'in which said plug is rotatably mounted.

at. In a track crossing structure a reversible revolvable track plug provided at one end with a formation adapted to match and eontinue the rail surface characteristics of one tack, a vertically disposed circular housing at the intersecting points of the crossing tracks in which said plug is rotatably mount:- ed, and a loose disk at the lower end of said plug and upon which the plug rests.

5. In a track crossing struetu re a reversible revolvable track plug provided at one end with a formation adapted to match and continue the rail surface characteristics of one track, a vertically disposed circular housing at the intersecting points of the crossing tracks in which said plug is rotatably mounted, an opening on the side of said housing, and an arm projecting from the side of the plug through said opening for rotating the plu (3. In a track crossing structure a reversible revolvable track plug provided at one end with a formation adapted to match and continue the rail surface characteristics of one track, a vertically disposed circular housing at the intersecting points of the crossing tracks in which said plug is rotatably mounted, an opening on the side of said housing, and an arm projecting from the side of the plug through said opening for rotating the plug, said arm arranged adjacent an overhanging shoulder of the housing to prevent lifting of the plug.

7. In a structure as specified in claim 5 said arm comprising an eyebolt screwed into the side of the plu 8. In a structure as specified in claim 5 said arm being movable through an arc to rotate the plug, and a link pivotally connected to the end of the arm for swinging the same back and forth.

9. A unitary structure of crossed railway rails, a vertlcally depending cylindr cal housing at each rail intersection, a circular plug revolvably positioned in each housing and each plug formed on its upper end to continue the characteristic of a rail thereacross, an arm projecting from the side of each plug beneath the tread oi the rail, and linkage operativcly connecting said arins said linkage including a rock shaft extending between a pair of the rails, rockers on said shaft, and links pivoted to the rockers.

10. A unitary structure of crossed railway rails, a vertically depending cylindrical housing at each rail intersection, a circular plug revolvahly positioned in each housing and each plug formed on its upper end to contin uc the characteristic of a rail thcreacross, an arm projecting from the side oi each plug hencath the tread of the rail, and linkage operativcly connecting said arms, said linkage including a rock shaft extending between a pair oi the rails, rockers on said shaft, links pivoted to the rockers, and an operating rod pivotally connected to one of said rockers.

11. A unitary structure oi crossed railway rails, a vertically depending cylindrical housing at each rail intersection, a circular plug revolvably positioned in each housing and each plug formed on its upper end to continue the characteristic of a rail thereacross, an arm projecting from the side of each plug beneath the tread of the rail, and linkage operatively connecting said arms, said linkage including a rock shat't extend ing between a pair of the rails, rockers on said shaft, universal. joints on said rockers, and links pivoted to the universal joints and to said arms.

12. In a railway track crossing, a unitary structure oi crossed rails, the rails running in one direction being of deeper section than those running in the opposite direction, a layer of ties under the shallower sectioned rails, and a layer of ties extending trai'isverseiv to the first mentioned layer under the rails of deeper section both layers of ties being in lirin contact and extending across their respective tracks.

LUTHER SADLER.

CERTIFICATE OF CURRECTION.

Patent No. 1,713,008. Granted May 14, 1929, to

' LUTHER SADLER.

it is hereby certified that the above numbered patent was erroneously issued to the inventor "Luther Sadler, one-third to E. L. Fairbanks, and one-third to L. G. Treadvvay, both of Los Angeles, California", whereas said patent should have been issued to the inventor, said "Sadier and one-third to E. L. Fairbanks, of Los Angeies", said Fairbanks being assignee by mesne assignments of one-third interest in said invention, as shown by the records of assignments in this office; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may eonform to the record of the ease in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 30th dav oi Juiv. A, D. 1929.

M]. Moore, (Seai) Acting Commissioner of Patents, 

